Dynamical generation of fuzzy extra dimensions, dimensional reduction and symmetry breaking

We present a renormalizable 4-dimensional SU(N) gauge theory with a suitable multiplet of scalar fields, which dynamically develops extra dimensions in the form of a fuzzy sphere S^2. We explicitly find the tower of massive Kaluza-Klein modes consistent with an interpretation as gauge theory on M^4 x S^2, the scalars being interpreted as gauge fields on S^2. The gauge group is broken dynamically, and the low-energy content of the model is determined. Depending on the parameters of the model the low-energy gauge group can be SU(n), or broken further to SU(n_1) x SU(n_2) x U(1), with mass scale determined by the size of the extra dimension.Comment: 27 pages. V2: discussion and references added, published versio

Study of Acute Liver Failure in Children Using Next Generation Sequencing Technology

OBJECTIVE: To use next generation sequencing (NGS) technology to identify undiagnosed, monogenic diseases in a cohort of children who suffered from acute liver failure (ALF) without an identifiable etiology. STUDY DESIGN: We identified 148 under 10 years of age admitted to King's College Hospital, London, with ALF of indeterminate etiology between 2000 and 2018. A custom NGS panel of 64 candidate genes known to cause ALF and/or metabolic liver disease was constructed. Targeted sequencing was carried out on 41 children in whom DNA samples were available. Trio exome sequencing was performed on 4 children admitted during 2019. A comparison of the clinical characteristics of those identified with biallelic variants against those without biallelic variants was then made. RESULTS: Homozygous and compound heterozygous variants were identified in 8 out of 41 children (20%) and 4 out of 4 children (100%) in whom targeted and exome sequencing were carried out, respectively. The genes involved were NBAS (3 children); DLD (2 children); and CPT1A, FAH, LARS1, MPV17, NPC1, POLG, SUCLG1, and TWINK (1 each). The 12 children who were identified with biallelic variants were younger at presentation and more likely to die in comparison with those who did not: median age at presentation of 3 months and 30 months and survival rate 75% and 97%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: NGS was successful in identifying several specific etiologies of ALF. Variants in NBAS and mitochondrial DNA maintenance genes were the most common findings. In the future, a rapid sequencing NGS workflow could help in reaching a timely diagnosis and facilitate clinical decision making in children with ALF

Paramagnetic gold in a highly disordered Au-Ni-O alloy

Magnetic materials are usually classified into a distinct category such as diamagnets, paramagnets or ferromagnets. The enormous progress in materials science allows one nowadays, however, to change the magnetic nature of an element in a material. Gold, in bulk form, is traditionally a diamagnet. But in a ferromagnetic environment, it can adopt an induced ferromagnetic moment. Moreover, the growth of gold under certain conditions may lead to a spontaneous ferromagnetic or paramagnetic response. Here, we report on paramagnetic gold in a highly disordered Au–Ni–O alloy and focus on the unusual magnetic response. Such materials are mainly considered for plasmonic applications. Thin films containing Au, Ni and NiO are fabricated by co-deposition of Ni and Au in a medium vacuum of 2 × 10−2 mbar. As a result, Au is in a fully disordered state forming in some cases isolated nanocrystallites of up to 4 nm in diameter as revealed by high resolution transmission electron microscopy. The disorder and the environment, which is rich in oxygen, lead to remarkable magnetic properties of Au: an induced ferromagnetic and a paramagnetic state. This can be proven by measuring the x-ray magnetic circular dichroism. Our experiments show a way to establish and monitor Au paramagnetism in alloys

ON THE METAMORPHIC MODIFICATION OF CR-SPINEL COMPOSITIONS FROM THE ULTRABASIC ROCKS OF THE PINDOS OPHIOLITE COMPLEX (NW GREECE)

Οι σερπεντινίτες και τα σερπεντινιωμένα υπερβασικά πετρώματα του οφιολιθικού συμπλέγματος της Πίνδου, Βορειοδυτική Ελλάδα, περιέχουν κόκκους χρωμιούχων σπινελίων που είναι συνήθως εξαλλοιωμένοι. Το εύρος της εξαλλοίωσης διαφέρει από κόκκο σε κόκκο και δύο τύποι εξαλλοίωσης μπορούν να διακριθούν. Συμφύσεις χρωμιούχου σπινελίου και χρωμιούχου μαγνητίτη είναι ο κυρίαρχος τύπος εξαλλοίωσης, ενώ προοδευτική εξαλλοίωση χρωμιούχου σπινελίου από σιδηρο-χρωμίτη σε συνδιασμό/ή όχι με την ανάπτυξη χρωμιούχου μαγνητίτη μπορεί να απαντά επίσης. Συγκριτικά με τους πυρήνες, τα περιθώρια αλλοίωσης είναι εμπλουτισμένα σε Fe και δείχνουν αυξημένα επίπεδα Cr# και στους δύο τύπους εξαλλοίωσης, αλλά είναι αποπτωχευμένα σε Mg και ΑΙ στο δεύτερο από αυτούς. Η κοινή συσχέτιση χρωμιούχου μαγνητίτη με σερπεντίνη και σιδηρο-χρωμίτη με χλωρίτη παρέχει πληροφορίες για το μεταμορφικό πλαίσιο σχηματισμού τους μέσω διαδικασιών που περιλαμβάνουν μετασωματικές διεργασίες που περιλαμβάνουν μηχανισμούς διάχυσης κατιόντωνSerpentinites and serpentinised ultramafic rocks from the Pindos ophiolite complex, northwestern Greece, contain Cr-spinel grains that are usually altered. The extent of alteration differs among Cr-spinels and two alteration trends can be distinguished. The most dominant is characterised by Cr-spinel overgrown by Cr-magnetite, while the second shows gradual replacement of Cr-spinel by ferrian chromite locally combined with Cr-magnetite development. Compared to cores, the altered rims are enriched in Fe and show elevated Cr# in both types of alteration, while they are impoverished in Mg and Al only at the second one. The common association of Crmagnetite with serpentine and ferrian chromite with chlorite provides insights to the metamorphic context of their formation through processes that include metasomatism by cation diffusion exchang

Probing electron beam effects with chemoresistive nanosensors during in situ environmental transmission electron microscopy

We report in situ and ex situ fabrication approaches to construct p-type (CuO) and n-type (SnO2) metal oxide nanowire devices for operation inside an environmental transmission electron microscope (TEM). By taking advantage of their chemoresistive properties, the nanowire devices were employed as sensitive probes for detecting reactive species induced by the interactions of high-energy electrons with surrounding gas molecules, in particular, for the case of O-2 gas pressures up to 20 mbar. In order to rationalize our experimental findings, a computational model based on the particle-in-cell method was implemented to calculate the spatial distributions of scattered electrons and ionized oxygen species in the environmental TEM. Our approach enables the a priori identification and qualitative measurement of undesirable beam effects, paving the way for future developments related to their mitigation. Published by AIP Publishing.Peer reviewe

Coset Space Dimensional Reduction and Wilson Flux Breaking of Ten-Dimensional N=1, E(8) Gauge Theory

We consider a N=1 supersymmetric E(8) gauge theory, defined in ten dimensions and we determine all four-dimensional gauge theories resulting from the generalized dimensional reduction a la Forgacs-Manton over coset spaces, followed by a subsequent application of the Wilson flux spontaneous symmetry breaking mechanism. Our investigation is constrained only by the requirements that (i) the dimensional reduction leads to the potentially phenomenologically interesting, anomaly free, four-dimensional E(6), SO(10) and SU(5) GUTs and (ii) the Wilson flux mechanism makes use only of the freely acting discrete symmetries of all possible six-dimensional coset spaces.Comment: 45 pages, 2 figures, 10 tables, uses xy.sty, longtable.sty, ltxtable.sty, (a shorter version will be published in Eur. Phys. J. C

Measuring the burden of herpes zoster and post herpetic neuralgia within primary care in rural Crete, Greece

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Research has indicated that general practitioners (GPs) have good clinical judgment in regards to diagnosing and managing herpes zoster (HZ) within clinical practice in a country with limited resources for primary care and general practice. The objective of the current study was to assess the burden of HZ and post herpetic neuralgia (PHN) within rural general practices in Crete, Greece.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>The current study took place within a rural setting in Crete, Greece during the period of November 2007 to November 2009 within the catchment area in which the Cretan Rural Practice-based Research Network is operating. In total 19 GP's from 14 health care units in rural Crete were invited to participate, covering a total turnover patient population of approximately 25, 000 subjects. For the purpose of this study an electronic record database was constructed and used as the main tool for monitoring HZ and PHN incidence. Stress related data was also collected with the use of the Short Anxiety Screening Test (SAST).</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The crude incidence rate of HZ was 1.4/1000 patients/year throughout the entire network of health centers and satellite practices, while among satellite practices alone it was calculated at 1.3/1000 patients/year. Additionally, the standardised incidence density within satellite practices was calculated at 1.6/1000 patients/year. In regards to the stress associated with HZ and PHN, the latter were found to have lower levels of anxiety, as assessed through the SAST score (17.4 ± 3.9 vs. 21.1 ± 5.7; <it>p </it>= 0.029).</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>The implementation of an electronic surveillance system was feasible so as to measure the burden of HZ and PHN within the rural general practice setting in Crete.</p